A FIVE TO TEN-YEAR FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF HOSPITALIZED SCHOOL PHOBIC CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

BURKE, AUTHETA; WEISS, MORRIS

A FIVE TO 10 YEAR FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF A GROUP OF 16 CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ORIGINALLY HOSPITALIZED FOR A SCHOOL PHOBIC SYNDROME IS REPORTED. THE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS UPON 14 NEUROTIC CHILDREN. THE OTHER TWO CHILDREN WERE CLASSIFIED AS BORDERLINE PSYCHOTICS. AT THE TIME OF THE FOLLOW-UP, THE FOUR MALES AND 10 FEMALES RANGED IN AGE FROM 14 TO 23 WITH A MEDIAN AGE OF 19 1/2. THE STUDY ASSESSED ADAPTATION THROUGH FACTORS SUCH AS SCHOOL AND WORK ATTAINMENTS, INDEPENDENCE, PEER AND HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS, SOCIAL ACTIVITY INTERESTS, AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PRIMARY FAMILY. INTERVIEWS WERE HELD WITH THE SUBJECTS OR THEIR PARENTS. THE SUBJECTS EXPERIENCED LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN RETURNING TO SCHOOL AFTER HOSPITALIZATION. ALL BUT ONE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. OVER HALF HAD SOME COLLEGE CREDITS. THEY EXPERIENCED SOME SOCIAL DISCOMFORT IN SCHOOL, BUT WORK ADAPTATION WAS GENERALLY GOOD. FOR HALF THE GROUP, SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL PROBLEMS REGARDING THEIR PEERS, SIBLINGS, AND PARENTS WERE FOUND. THE SUBJECTS AND THEIR PARENTS WERE GENERALLY POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR HOSPITALIZATION. IN TERMS OF CROSS-SECTIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS, ONLY ONE PERSON COULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL. THE GROUP AS A WHOLE SHOWED A HIGH LEVEL OF ADULT FUNCTIONING, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF OCCUPATION AND INDEPENDENCE. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN ORTHOPSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 22, 1967. (SK)